The cornerstone of the Atkins lifestyle is limiting carbs—the compounds that make up the sugars in foods. But why is that sugar bad for you? We’re letting you in on some of the secrets behind the effects of sugar on the body.
1. Sugar causes glucose levels to spike and plummet.
Unstable blood sugar can leave you experiencing mood swings, fatigue, and headaches. It also contributes to cravings, which begins the cycle of false hunger. By contrast, those who avoid sugar report having fewer cravings while feeling more emotionally balanced and energized.
2. Sugar increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
While we all like to indulge once in a while, foods that quickly affect blood sugar contribute to a greater risk of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Emerging research also suggests connections between these high-glycemic diets and various forms of cancer.These effects are often a result of added sugars working in your body, so be sure to read those nutrition labels.
3. Your immune function can be affected by sugar.
As if being sick wasn’t bad enough, studies have shown that sugar can interfere with the way your body fights disease.5 Bacteria and yeast feed on sugar, so excess glucose in the body causes these organisms to build up and cause infections.
4. A high-sugar diet can lead to chromium deficiency.
Chromium, a trace mineral, helps regulate blood sugar in the body. While it can be found in meats, seafood, and plant foods, 90% of Americans still don’t get enough chromium because of refining starches.6 Other carbohydrates can also rob foods of their chromium supplies, so limiting your carbs is your best bet for increasing those mineral levels.
5. Sugar accelerates aging.
While you probably know that sugars can affect your body composition, they can also mess with your skin by contributing to wrinkles and sagging. After sugar hits your bloodstream, it attaches to proteins. The mix of these proteins with sugar causes the skin to lose elasticity and leads to premature aging
